The idea of building a custom home can be both tantalizing and intimidating. Architect Francisca Alonso offers a detailed guide that will help you do it right.
Choose Your Architect—Work with an architect/builder who will be with you through completion of construction. This way, buildability, budget and design issues can be considered and addressed as they arise.
Select a Location—Consider choices such as urban, suburban or rural locales; school districts; proximity to the city versus nature and privacy; and lot sizes and costs. Remember, for example, that a quarter-acre lot in Alexandria will require you to build up, while a five-acre lot in Great Falls will allow you the leeway of building out.
Decide on the Size of Your Home—Obviously, a 4,000-square-foot home will require a significantly different budget than that of a home measuring 9,000+ square feet.
Find Your Lot—In the greater Washington area, it is preferable to hunt for property where there is an existing house to tear down. Not only is there more inventory, but utilities are already in place and the lot has already been cleared and graded.
Work with Your Financial Institution—Interview your lender. Make sure they understand that you are looking for a loan that will go from land to construction to mortgage as the project evolves.
Obtain a Feasibility Study—Include a contingency for feasibility so issues like setbacks and topography don’t interfere with building your dream home.
Finalize the Design and Budget—Complete the design of the house before its foundation is built, making 90 percent of your decisions on materials like light fixtures, tile and flooring at that point. Waiting until construction will slow the schedule down and increase the cost. If you’ve already made those decisions, there will be less uncertainty and need for allowances, and your lender will be happier.
Create Permit Plans—Your architect and engineer should work together to create plans that will pass the permitting process on the first go-round.
Construction—The length of the construction phase will vary depending on the size of the house. Once framing is complete, consider hiring an interior designer who will be able to order items that can take months to arrive. This way, move-in can occur upon completion of construction.
Francisca Alonso is a founding partner at AV Architects & Builders.
In the hands of The Rug Republic, the lifespan of a pair of jeans is longer than you’d think. The India-based company weaves denim into rugs, enhanced with color and texture from upcycled saris, cotton remnants and natural fibers such as hemp and wool.
The process begins with containers of jeans culled from all over the world. Craftsmen cut the jeans into narrow strips which are wound onto spindles, then woven into rugs in an array of sizes on giant pit looms. One rug typically takes 10 days to complete. Poufs, cushions and stools are also on offer. trrhome.com
| WOOD CABINETRY Remember, it’s not the wood you’re cleaning but rather the top-coat varnish. Just moistening a soft cloth with dish soap and water is best. If there are streaks, you can use a chamois or lint-free cloth to help remove them or bring the shine back up on the varnish. Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe the surface of your cabinets before applying mild soap and water. |  | DOS AND DONTS DO check the ingredients if you are purchasing a cleanser for wood. DON'T use alcohol-, oil- or wax-based products. |
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| NATURAL-WOOD COUNTERTOPS Wood countertops in high-use areas should not have top-coat varnish on them, as it will scratch over time and catch dirt. Natural wood is durable as long as it’s maintained with mineral oil. For the first year, oil the wood top every three months. For the next few years, oil it when it starts to look dry. After that, one application a year should be fine. If the wood top suffers marks, burns or water rings, sand them away, then lightly sand the entire surface. Clean with mild soap and water using a cloth or paper towel. Finally, rub in oil and wipe off the excess. The counter should look like new. If your counter does have a top coat, see cabinetry care above. |  | DO use cutting boards to avoid regular maintenance. DON'T place hot plates or bowls directly on the wood countertop. DON'T leave anything wet on the counter; regular oiling will help minimize water absorption. |
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| STONE COUNTERTOPS Marble is much more porous than granite, but simple care and maintenance will keep both granite and marble surfaces looking beautiful for generations to come. While all granite and marble tops are pre-sealed, we recommend applying a resin-based penetrating sealer at least every six months. Sealing fills the pores, which helps protect from stains. Some daily care is necessary to maintain the quality of the stone. Wiping spills will prevent a mineral buildup (a whitish residue), especially around faucet holes and sinks. |  | DO clean surfaces with mild detergent or soap approved for use on stone. DO blot up spills immediately. DO avoid vinegar, lemon juice and other acidic substances on the stone surface. DO use mineral oil on unfinished soapstone when it starts to look mottled. DON’T use oily products on marble or granite. DON’T use cleaners that contain acid such as those used on grout or tub and tile. DON’T use abrasive dry or soft cleansers. |
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Each year, Home & Design polls hundreds of design professionals to name their picks for industry leaders and favorite resources. Following are the winners for 2020. –HOME&DESIGN
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Architect of the Year
Richard Foster
Richard Foster Architects
Rockville, Maryland
richardfosterarchitects.com
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Interior Designer of the Year
Arlene Critzos
Interior Concepts, Inc.
Annapolis, Maryland
interiorconceptsinc.com
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Landscape Architect of the Year
Richard Arentz, ASLA
Arentz Landscape Architects LLC
Washington, DC, and Marshall, Virginia
arentzdc.com
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Architecture
Firm of the Year
Thomson & Cooke Architects
Washington, DC
thomsoncooke.com
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Kitchen & Bath Design
Firm of the Year
Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath
Chevy Chase, MD, and Ashburn, VA
gilmerkitchens.com
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Landscape Design
Firm of the Year
Campion Hruby Landscape Architects
Annapolis, Maryland
campionhruby.com
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Interior Design
Firm of the Year
Solís Betancourt & Sherrill
Washington, DC
solisbetancourt.com
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Custom Builder
of the Year
Pyramid Builders
Annapolis, Maryland
pyramid-builders.com
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Design/Build
Firm of the Year
BOWA
McLean and Middleburg, Virginia
bowa.com
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Art Resource
Merritt Gallery & Renaissance Fine Arts
Baltimore and Chevy Chase, Maryland
merrittgallery.com
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Carpet & Flooring
Stark Carpet
Washington Design Center
starkcarpet.com
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Craftsman
Allegheny Wood Works
Hyattsville, Maryland
alleghenywoodworksllc.com
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Custom Closets
Closets by Design
Manassas, Virginia
closetsbydesign.com
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Fabric & Wall Coverings
Farrow & Ball
Washington, DC
farrow-ball.com
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Fine Furniture
Century
Washington, DC
centuryfurniture.com
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Hardware
Push Pull Decorative Hardware
North Bethesda, Maryland
pushpullhardware.com
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Home Technology
A.B.E. Networks
Rockville, Maryland
abenetworks.com
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Appliances & Fixtures
ADU, Your Appliance Source
Area locations
adu.com
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Lighting
Illuminations, Inc.
Washington, DC
illuminc.com
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Tile Surfaces
Renaissance Tile & Bath
Alexandria, Virginia
renaissancetileandbath.com
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Window Treatments
Gretchen Everett
Silver Spring, Maryland
gretcheneverett.com
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The newly built house purchased by Iantha Carley’s longtime clients “was definitely builder-grade,” recounts the designer. “They wanted to make it a more bespoke home.” When decorating the bare-bones home office, Carley selected Benjamin Moore’s earthy Beauvillon for the walls and a subtle textile for the window treatments, punctuated by vivid blue tones in the Stark carpet and Century armchair (above). On the floating shelves above the work stations, she created cameos of her clients’ three kids against the same blue background.
| Then | Now |
| The owners requested storage and work stations to accommodate their kids’ needs. | A wall of built-ins features two work stations, a cabinet and open shelving. A Hickory Chair armoire and a desk by The New Traditionalists offer both style and storage. |
| The room was dull, with a nondescript color scheme, bare wood floors and nothing to soften the lines of the windows. | An earthy paint hue contrasts crisply with white trim. Galbraith & Paul drapery and shades fabricated by Gretchen Everett frame the windows. A blue-plaid Stark carpet, cut to fit the space, supplies a pop of color. |
| Boring recessed lighting was the only option. | A dramatic fixture from Circa Lighting adds a focal point. |
Interior Design: Iantha Carley, Iantha Carley Interiors, Silver Spring, Maryland. Contractor: James Lackford, Proper Paint and Paper, Silver Spring, Maryland. Photography: Angie Seckinger.
Greg Wiedemann and his team created an expansive, Victorian-style farmhouse by adding a volume that mirrors the existing structure. A small corner porch became the entry. The new volume on the left features a master suite with a balcony off to the side; behind it, a screened-in sleeping porch is visible. Another porch runs the width of the original home.
| Then | Now |
| The modest, T-shaped house was poorly sited. Though located on the water, it was oriented in another direction. The road led up to the side of the house instead of to the front. | An addition made the house into an expansive H shape with a new, south-facing volume. It emphasizes the waterfront with bay windows and a glass-enclosed hyphen connecting the old and new wings. |
| A small corner porch wasn’t utilized, as it didn’t face the water.Another porch was in disrepair. | The small corner porch is now a commanding front entry while the other porch has been restored. |
| Asphalt siding gave the house a run-down, nondescript look. | German shiplap siding clads the residence. Wiedemann added shutters and decorative details such as a gable and a new balcony off the master suite. |
Renovation Architecture: Gregory Wiedemann, AIA, Wiedemann Architects, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland. Builder: Reed & Lambert, Inc., Easton, Maryland. Photography: Anice Hoachlander.
Two women, one in her 80s and one about 15 years younger, were sharing a two-story condo when a single-level unit in the same building became available. With practicality in mind, they bought it—hiring architect Ernesto Santalla to make the space compatible with their needs. “For my older client, there was decreased mobility,” he recalls. “And the younger one was thinking about the future. When this apartment came up, they seized the opportunity.”
Santalla, who had remodeled their previous abode, began by reorganizing the bedroom wing, then comprising the master suite and a spare bedroom. His new layout replaced a walk-in closet in the spare bedroom with a new bath; he then lined one wall of the bedroom with closets.
The original vestibule felt dark and compartmentalized, its layout guiding visitors toward the bedrooms rather than to the light-filled living space. Santalla removed a wall by the entry door “to create a straight shot down the corridor to the living/dining area,” he explains. He added openness by eliminating a wall separating the kitchen from the living area.
The once-dated kitchen now boasts lacquered custom cabinets by Potomac Woodworking and quartz countertops. Painted the same cream color that covers most of the walls, it feels cohesive with the living space. An accent wall in a silk wall covering by Weitzner connects the vestibule to the living area, leading visitors that way.
When the project began, the unit “had zero character,” Santalla recounts. “It was generic and bland.” To liven things up, he embellished the flat-plane ceilings with architectural features that camouflage bulkheads while adding interest. Frosted-glass doors to one bedroom admit light while maintaining privacy. An easy-maintenance, textured-porcelain tile floor throughout unifies the spaces.
The finished apartment is both functional and serene. Says Santalla: “It’s a space where you can leave the noise of the world behind and relax.”
Interior & Architectural Design: Ernesto Santalla, AIA, LEED AP, Ernesto Santalla PLLC, Washington, DC. Renovation Contracting: Enrique Bonilla Home Services, Alexandria, Virginia.
“The property is about a quarter acre—and we used every square inch of it,” recounts Luke Tirrell of Wheat’s Landscape, who oversaw the transformation of a Bethesda backyard from mundane to amazing. “The owner wanted an extension of his house, where he and his family could hang out for eight months of the year. It was a massive plan; we did just about everything we could do.”
When the project began, a sport court already occupied one side of the backyard. The owners, who have kids, wanted to preserve it, but were prepared to demolish the surrounding landscape and start fresh. A cramped patio made way for an expansive one of Pennsylvania fieldstone, embellished with cobblestones that delineate separate zones. Carderock stone retaining walls separate the patio from the sport court and lawn; they also terrace the property, which has been regraded for better function.
Beneath a narrow, Western red cedar pergola, an outdoor kitchen is clad in Carderock stone; it features a built-in grill, fridge and stainless-steel drawers. A thermal-treated Pennsylvania flagstone countertop offers an overhang with bar seating and a dining table tucked in beside it. At the other end of the patio, a large pergola covers a spacious seating area facing a Carderock stone gas fireplace and TV. A wide staircase now accesses the upper part of the yard and sport court.
With the backyard a blank slate, Wheat’s started from scratch with landscaping, planting a screen of arborvitae behind the fireplace and a magnolia near the grill. Beds of shade-loving rhododendron, boxwood and oakleaf hydrangea soften the hardscape, while impatiens and May Night salvia add color.
Landscape Design & Installation: Luke Tirrell, project manager, Wheat’s Landscape, Vienna, Virginia. Audio/Video System: National Technology Integrators, Rockville, Maryland.
The owners of a home in Great Falls wanted to add functionality and appeal to their property with a pool and pool house. They tapped landscape architect Jay Graham to devise a master plan that would encompass “a pool, plantings, grading—and some kind of structure,” he says.
When architect Jim Rill was enlisted to design the pool house, the plans evolved. “What started as a screened-in space ended up including a full kitchen, sliding-glass walls, heating and cooling, lighting and a sound system,” Rill explains.
The owners requested a rustic aesthetic—and as much glass as possible. “The idea was to fit the landscape yet be unique enough to draw people in,” says Rill. Three walls of triple sliding-glass panels with retractable screens spill outdoors. The fourth wall, which anchors the kitchen area, powder room, changing room and storage, is clad on the outside in HardiePlank siding. Flagstone, used on the pool deck, also paves the pool-house floor.
Annette Hannon decorated the interior. “The owners wanted to be able to entertain year-round, and to limit the inevitable maintenance that goes along with outdoor living,” Hannon notes. “We came up with floor-plan options illustrating how the same furniture could adapt to their changing needs.” Stylish pieces from JANUS et Cie are upholstered in durable Perennials fabric, while a JANUS et Cie chandelier hangs from the vaulted ceiling.
In the kitchen, Hannon sourced Lynx appliances, including an indoor grill with an outdoor vent hood, refrigerator, ice machine and warming drawers. Restoration Hardware lighting in the kitchen area echoes the building’s rustic sensibility.
Architecture: James F. Rill, AIA, Rill Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. Interior Design: Annette Hannon, Annette Hannon Interior Design, Ltd., Burke, Virginia. Contractor: Thorsen Construction, Alexandria, Virginia. Landscape Architecture: Jay Graham, FASLA, Moody Graham, Washington, DC.
“I never tire of black and white,” declares designer Sallie Finney Kjos, who recently redecorated her own South Riding, Virginia, townhouse using this dramatic combination throughout. “It’s just classic. You can add other colors and it always works.” In this case, she injected shades of pale pink into the high-contrast décor, imparting feminine flair to the mix.
The townhouse, comprised of an open-plan main floor with an upstairs master suite, is Kjos’s canvas. Each space conveys a different mood—and exemplifies her balanced use of black and white. In the bedroom, a black accent wall forms the backdrop for a tufted, white-velvet headboard and plush pink accents, creating a glamorous touch. The room features crisp, white-painted furniture, white bedding with black accents and a tufted-velvet bench in soft pink.
Kjos also transformed the adjoining master bath. Working within the room’s original footprint, she enlarged the shower enclosure, integrating it with the tub surround to form a seating ledge within the shower. An accent wall of large-format, black-glass tile in a herringbone pattern is a focal point, and marble-look ceramic tile clads the tub surround and floor. The shower niches are framed by black metal strips, and matte-brass fixtures by Brizo introduce a vintage vibe.
Downstairs, the welcoming home office offsets a glass-topped World’s Away desk and furry ottomans from My Chic Home with black accents on silk drapes, furniture and art. Kjos instilled a sense of warmth through pops of pink on pillows and accessories, as well as gold finishes on cabinet hardware and the base of the desk.
Interior Design: Sallie Finney Kjos, ASID, IDS, GreyHunt Interiors, LLC, South Riding, Virginia. Contractor: Juan Guerra, Fairfax, Virginia.
DARK + SEXY
After clients in McLean requested “a dark, sexy powder room,” recalls Martha Vicas, she employed textures and metallic surfaces to achieve their vision. Three-dimensional wall tile from Ann Sacks is the backdrop for copper Holly Hunt sconces, a Rejuvenation mirror and a custom-marble sink.
Design: M.S. Vicas Interiors. Architecture: Thomson & Cooke Architects. Contractor: Peterson and Collins Inc. Styling: Charlotte Safavi.
SENSE OF DRAMA
When designing a Bethesda powder room, Sandra Meyer envisioned “a dramatic feel, but not cramped,” she notes. Harlequin wallpaper creates a sense of height, while the floating, custom-marble vanity provides breathing room. Kohler fixtures in brass and Visual Comfort sconces enhance the black-and-gold palette. A flat, wallpapered door conceals storage.
Design: Ella Scott Design.
MOODY VIBE
“I love dark, moody small spaces,” says Colman Riddell, who conjured this vibe in a sophisticated Cathedral Heights powder room. Farrow & Ball Pitch Black covers walls and trim while a Waterworks sink with polished-nickel fixtures, a Made Goods mirror and an Urban Electric sconce brighten the room.
Design: Colman Riddell Interiors. Architecture: Barnes Vanze Architects. Contractor: Falcon Construction.
KID FRIENDLY
Kristin Peake envisioned a powder room in the modern-farmhouse style of her clients’ McLean home. “It’s really a kids’ bathroom, so we wanted it to be bright and fun,” she says. Shiplap siding combines with a custom-painted Kohler basin, Elk Lighting sconces and a barnwood frame mirror. The floor is wood-look porcelain in a chevron pattern.
Design: Kristin Peake Interiors.
PHOTO OP
Nancy Harper added an ingenious personal touch to the powder room of an Arlington condo by converting 250 of the owner’s personal Instagram photos into wallpaper. Gold hues in the Restoration Hardware sink’s fixtures, a Rejuvenation mirror and a Schoolhouse sconce create warmth.
Design: Studio Miel. Renovation Architecture: Rill Architects.
TOUCH OF GLAM
After her kids fled the nest, Davida Rodriguez was ready for a touch of glam in her Gaithersburg abode. She redesigned her powder room in sleek, monochromatic style, pairing hand-painted Vahallan wallpaper in a silvery, metallic finish with textured-glass sconces and a round Ronbow vanity that provides storage in the tiny space.
Design & Contracting: Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles.
NAUTICAL ACCENT
The views inspired a powder room in Newport, Rhode Island. “The Lunada Bay penny tile was reminiscent of water,” says designer Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey. “And we mimicked the home’s porthole windows with the round Arteriors mirror.” A curved niche and wall-hung Kohler sink complete the space.
Design: SCW Interiors. Contractor: B.R. Arnold Construction Co.
PURE GEOMETRY
Caryn Cramer introduced bold, modern elements in the powder room of a traditional home in Old Town Alexandria. Graphic, high-contrast navy-and-white encaustic tile covers the floor and walls in a pattern of Cramer’s design. A minimalist custom-steel vanity from KONST Union and a Circa Lighting sconce emphasize the room’s geometric elements.
Design: Caryn Cramer Interiors.
VINTAGE STYLE
While reimagining the powder room of a 1911 Northwest DC abode, Nestor Santa-Cruz channeled the aesthetic of British architect Edward Lutyens via the herringbone-patterned, black-and-white-marble floor. A Titan marble Waterworks basin is paired with a leather-and-brass mirror by Gubi.
Design: Nestor Santa-Cruz Decoration. Renovation Architecture: Hamilton Snowber Architects. Contractor: Mauck Zantzinger & Associates.
TEXTURED MIX
Darlene Molnar added interest in a monochromatic Vienna powder room using floor-to-ceiling, textured-ceramic wall tile by Porcelanosa. A floating concrete sink by Trueform Concrete rests on a custom, live-edge base by Mark Palmquist Design. Pendants by Davey Lighting and an Anthropologie mirror add industrial accents.
Design: Darlene Molnar LLC. Contractor: Battle Street Builders.
Empty-nesters in Annandale, Virginia, turned to CARNEMARK design+build to upgrade their dated rambler, which had choppy rooms and lacked a connection to their picturesque property. “The stairs to the basement were in the middle of the house and impeded flow,” recounts principal Jonas Carnemark, who headed the project. “We shifted their location and built an addition on the back that links to the original house via a connective tether, or joint. This design allowed us to retain the roofline, which helped the budget.”
A gut redo of the existing structure created an open plan that encompasses a new, modern kitchen, a guest suite and a wide central hall with sightlines from the front door through the addition and out to the backyard. The addition comprises a living room and master suite on the main floor; it also extends the basement level with a home office and a sheltered outdoor room with a bluestone floor. On both levels, oversized windows and sliding-glass doors bring the outside in.
An elevated deck off the side of the house is bordered by stainless-steel cable rails. It provides space for al fresco dining and lounging; the yard, hardscaped by Carnemark and his team, is easily accessed via a wide stair. The addition is clad in durable, large-scale, fiber-cement HardiePanel siding that modernizes the home’s exterior while complementing the existing structure. Inside, a sleek, modern aesthetic prevails with minimalist furnishings and a warm, honey-hued wood floor that unifies old and new.
Advice for people embarking on a modern addition?
Think of it as celebrating the difference between old and new. I try to convince people to do what feels comfortable and not worry about if it looks different.
What is your favorite part of a project?
Helping clients shed assumptions about what they must have based on something they read or saw on TV. There are no “have tos.”
What are your favorite materials?
I enjoy materials that are practical, easy to maintain and beautiful. I don’t discriminate beyond that. Doesn’t matter what it is as long as it’s enduring and makes you smile. I also love how many face natur products there are now that makes people attractive.
What building trends are you seeing?
More and more young families want their forever home. I like that they are looking for something longer-lasting than current trends.
Renovation Design & Contracting: Jonas Carnemark, CKD, CR, CLIPP, CARNEMARK design+build, Bethesda, Maryland. Landscape Architecture: Katia Goffin Gardens, McLean, Virginia.
A couple building a house on nearly four acres in Potomac tapped McHale Landscape Design to create a master plan for the site while construction was still underway. The abode would convey a French Country aesthetic, and they wished the grounds to reflect this sensibility.
McHale’s Julie Patronik and her team conceived a design with formal, European-style elements, beginning with the approach to the home—a long drive flanked by a canopy of Y-shaped halka zelkova trees. The drive curves to reveal the sprawling, gabled house behind a stand of cryptomeria. “The idea was to be formal around the house,” Patronik recounts. “The beds by the entry are bordered by evergreens that retain their structure in winter, filled in with perennials and plenty of annual color.” The drive encircles a neat garden of boxwood and Russian sage within a retaining wall; on the side of the drive facing the house—directly opposite the front door—an iron bench nestles in a pea-gravel niche between matching flower beds.
In the more casual backyard, the landscape centers on a luxuriant lawn fringed with perennial beds. There are two patios; one with an outdoor kitchen is intended for family use while the other, anchored by a Southern Crème stone fireplace, is used for entertaining. Pea-gravel and boulder paths lead down from the patios to a lower-level outdoor room with a fireplace and TV that overlooks a picturesque custom fountain.
The home’s exterior beige-and-cream palette inspired the hardscape—a combination of Western Maryland paving stones in warm earth tones and Southern Crème stone in reds and browns. The latter also clads the fountain, kitchen and retaining walls.
What advice do you give homeowners embarking on a major landscape project?
A well-thought-out design and implementation takes time. It’s a long-term investment, so doing revisions and understanding the designer’s vision is important.
Do you have a favorite style of landscape?
I appreciate all well-designed spaces. From clean and contemporary to eclectic cottage garden—I like them all!
What trends are you seeing in outdoor spaces?
Outdoor kitchens and fire features are still going strong. Environmental concerns are evident; clients are interested in pollinator and rain gardens, composting, organic pest and weed control and capturing water in cisterns for irrigation.
What factors do you consider when selecting plantings?
We select plants based on environment and consider the ultimate size of trees, shrubs and perennials. If budget is a concern, a garden of English boxwood and Japanese maple is going to cost more than one of ornamental grasses and perennials.
Landscape Design & Maintenance: Julie Patronik, McHale Landscape Design, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Architecture: Glenn Chen Fong, AIA, PLLC, Arlington, Virginia. Builder: Natelli Homes, LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Clients with four children were looking to improve storage and functionality in their Alexandria kitchen while also giving it a facelift. “With four kids, a regular kitchen was not going to work,” observes designer Zoe Feldman, who spearheaded the transformation. “And the look of the existing kitchen was not [the wife’s] aesthetic.”
Borrowing from an adjacent utility closet and the garage, Feldman carved out a butler’s pantry that features additional storage, kid-friendly open shelving and appliances, including a wine fridge. The pantry flows down two steps to a mudroom with built-ins, hooks for backpacks and convenient seating.
While the layout of the kitchen didn’t change, nearly everything in it did. Honing in on the client’s preferred Palm Beach vibe—think bright colors and a sense of whimsy—Feldman painted existing cabinetry in saturated Farrow & Ball hues. Deep-gray base cabinets ground the kitchen and pantry while a light blue-green shade on the upper cabinets in the kitchen makes the room feel larger. Brass cabinet hardware and a copper farmhouse sink impart warmth, and marble-look quartz countertops are a classic touch.
For easy cleanup, Feldman covered the walls in white subway tile; it contributes to an industrial vibe, as does the open shelving in the butler’s pantry. Brass-and-glass globe pendants from Rejuvenation take center stage over the furniture-style island. “Lighting is highly important in a kitchen because you have to work there,” Feldman notes. “Globes are great in the center of the room because they give off more light.” Stylish brass pendants add personality in the pantry.
Advice before embarking on a kitchen renovation?
Inventory your items so you know what you have and think about how you use your kitchen. How do you want it to function for your needs?
How do you create originality in a kitchen design?
Consider your “wow” factor: Is it your floor, backsplash, countertops? And hang art—old cutting boards or beautiful pots. As long as it’s functional and not trite.
Do you have a favorite surface material?
I’ve always been a marble girl. It’s been used in Europe forever! I don’t see it as high-maintenance— it’s how you perceive what it should look like over time. I have honed marble in my kitchen and I cut right on it.
What kitchen trend are you tired of?
Waterfall countertops. I think it’s an overdone look, and it’s just for a statement. I don’t think it adds value or function to a kitchen.
Kitchen Design: Zoe Feldman, Zoe Feldman Design, Washington, DC. Contractor: Jason Remodeling, Inc., Woodbridge, Virginia.
In the hands of Romain Baty, a dilapidated row house became a showcase for mid-century design. The designer, who hails from France, tapped into a host of influences, from Italian design of the 1960s to 1950s American diners and 1930s Hollywood glamour.
The three-bedroom abode suffered from two typical row-house ailments: cramped spaces and a shortage of light. Baty addressed these on the main floor by enlarging the opening between the kitchen and the living/dining room and installing double glass doors from the kitchen to the backyard, thereby creating openness and bringing in natural light. “I also used color to lighten everything,” he explains. “Pale blue on the walls and ceiling gives the impression of a little sky inside.”
In fact, color plays a major role in the design. Inspired by a painting by contemporary artist Jules de Balincourt, Baty painted the ceiling and upper walls in Sherwin Williams’ Icelandic, complemented with the deeper Sherwin Williams’ Refuge on and below a chair rail he added in the main living space. A line of gold “creates contrast and adds richness without being overwhelming,” he notes. Soothing shades of gray are similarly juxtaposed in the master bedroom, with dark-blue lines painted to mimic moldings on the upper half of the walls.
In the renovated kitchen, Sherwin Williams’ Lite Lavender walls and a black-and-white marble floor reference the ’50s-diner look. Custom cabinets, painted the same amethyst hue as the walls, are encased in thick, heavily veined Black Pearl marble. The thickness of the stone was important to Baty’s vision. “I wanted to create a sense of opulence and generosity,” he says.
Why do you paint the ceilings in your projects?
I don’t like white ceilings. I like the same color on the walls and ceiling because it creates a sense of unity. Also, ceilings are usually not that interesting and you can de-emphasize them this way.
How do you unify spaces in a home?
I’m always trying to create a link between rooms for continuity. Spaces have to connect and communicate. The lines painted on the walls upstairs and downstairs in this project create that connection.
How would you define your design philosophy?
The future resident is the starting point for it all. My goal is to materialize who they are while bringing taste and attention to the aesthetic. I feel you are truly at home when your space could not belong to anyone else.
What is your favorite part of the design process?
The moment when my clients first discover their new home. Not very original, I know, but it is still the most pleasant moment for me!
Interior Design: Romain Baty, Romain Baty, LLC, Washington, DC. Contractor: CHE–BENZ, Inc., Lanham, Maryland. Styling: Stylish Productions.
After buying an industrial lot on the Chesapeake Bay in Irvington, Virginia, the owner, who loves to sail, contacted Randall Kipp to design a weekend retreat as close as possible to the water. The industrial designation “gave us latitude,” notes Kipp. “A building generally has to be 100 feet back from the water, but we were able to position the nearest corner just seven feet away.”
The site is only two feet above sea level, so the house had to be elevated to meet the seven-and-a-half-foot floodplain requirements. Eschewing a traditional solid foundation, Kipp built the structure on pilings that enable the client to use the space under it for storing his boat. Instead of an awkward staircase to the main floor—typical of houses on pilings—the driveway was shored up to the height of the front door; a bridge from the drive to the house “allows you to enter the building gracefully,” Kipp explains. “It feels like you’re boarding a ship.”
The 4,800-square-foot house encompasses three volumes clad in fiber-cement lap siding that “embraces a simple, waterfront commercial building vernacular,” says the architect. Paneled in Spanish cedar with whale bone-like cedar trusses, the two-and-half-story central great room conveys the nautical feel of a yacht club. It contains living and dining areas and a sleek kitchen, while two-story volumes on either side house en-suite bedrooms. A bridge in the main volume connects the upstairs rooms to the stairway from the main floor. French doors open to a screened porch that takes in close-up views of the bay.
What appeals to you about contemporary architecture?
It responds to all the ways a building is used today. The great-room concept answers the modern blending of activities. And the high ceilings allow for larger windows that diminish the barrier between the inside and outside—an important tenet of contemporary architecture.
What are the challenges of designing in a modern vernacular?
The biggest is working with materials and details. Modern architecture often requires expansive windows and doors that necessitate using steel beams and columns. Steel moves differently than wood.
Do you have preferred building materials?
I prefer exterior building materials to be as maintenance-free and “forever” as possible.
What difficulties does building by the water present?
Rainwater drives horizontally with gale force annually. Many of my buildings use commercial curtain-wall window systems. Understanding how to use building products in a blowy, briny, humid environment takes years of experience.
Architecture & Interior Design: Randall Kipp, AIA, NCARB, Randall Kipp Architecture, Inc., Irvington, Virginia. Builder: The Allen Group, Inc., Urbanna, Virginia.
